A man accused of attacking L.A. Metro security officers after burglarizing several vehicles at Union Station in downtown Los Angeles, including two LAPD patrol cars, was charged with four counts of attempted murder and other charges Monday, according to prosecutors.
Max Verdi, who has been described as a transient, is now facing four counts of second-degree burglary of a vehicle and one count of vandalism resulting in more than $400 in damage, in addition to the other four charges.
He was being held on $4.18 million bail and pleaded not guilty to charges, prosecutors said. He is expected back in court on Feb. 14.
Verdi, 31, allegedly left two police cars at the transportation station with smashed windows on Jan. 23 as he burglarized other vehicles, states a news release from the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
“When a man tried to stop Verdi from burglarizing a vehicle, the defendant allegedly swung at him with an ice ax he had stolen earlier from another vehicle,” the release states.
Verdi then ran into a vehicle operated by security guards once they tried detaining him, according to prosecutors. He tried running them over and ended up crashing into a pillar, prosecutors alleged.
He then escaped on foot and struck one guard in the head with the ax, according to prosecutors.
The DA’s office said Verdi could face a maximum possible sentence of more than 16 years to life in state prison if convicted of all the charges.